An Idea is Born

By Hunter’s Friends

While his friends moved on to other summer memories, Hunter fixated on one question:

“Why wasn't there anything like this near D.C.?”

Surely, other teens shared the same frustration, caught between childhood and the freedoms of late adolescence.

So Hunter did what few 14-year-olds would dare: he started making calls. He contacted the most popular nightclubs in the D.C. area, pitching the idea of teen-only, alcohol-free parties.

Most club owners brushed him off, assuming he was joking or that such an event wouldn't be worth their time. Some even hung up on him.

But Hunter possessed something rare - the kind of stubborn optimism that refuses to accept "no" as a final answer. He called back, again and again, this time with a refined pitch:

What if he booked the club on an off night, when business was slow? He'd handle the ticketing, the crowd, and marketing. All the club had to do was provide the space, the DJ, and security.

This time, a few managers were intrigued. One sent him a contract via email and requested a deposit. Hunter didn't have a checking account, so he headed to the local 7-Eleven, bought a money order, and mailed it in.

Building Something New

Hunter advertised the first party on local Facebook pages and parent forums, taking reservations through Eventbrite, a ticketing platform. Within hours, every ticket was sold out. Teens were desperate for a place of their own, and parents, eager for a safe alternative, cautiously backed the idea.

The party was a hit. Word spread like wildfire, and before long, Hunter was running two events a week all summer, each one packed to capacity. He handled logistics, negotiated contracts, managed the door, and even worked directly with parents to address safety concerns.

By the end of the season, he had earned nearly $20,000 after expenses, making him arguably the youngest nightclub promoter in Northern Virginia.

Hunter's approach was methodical and mature beyond his years.

He always made sure parents were welcome to check out the venues before they left their kids for the evening. He encouraged mothers to share their experiences on local parent blogs, which helped spread the word and alleviate any safety concerns.

The Bittersweet Success

That success didn't go unnoticed. The following summer, when Hunter tried to book his usual venues, he was told that the clubs would be running their own teen nights—no outside organizer needed.

Hunter felt a mix of pride and disappointment. He'd been cut out of his own creation, but he'd also proven something important: there was real demand for safe spaces where young people could gather and celebrate. His idea had been so successful that an entire industry had adopted it.

Within a year, his model had spread up and down the East Coast, with "teen-only" club nights popping up everywhere, from beach towns to big cities, providing young people with the safe and fun spaces they'd been craving.

A Legacy Takes Shape

Hunter's entrepreneurial spirit didn't just change the landscape for his generation - it revealed a fundamental truth about young people:

Given the right opportunity and support, they can identify problems and build solutions that adults might never consider.

That same spirit lives on today in the dreams and ambitions of young people supported by Hunter's Fund.

Like Hunter, these grant recipients are encouraged to follow their own ideas, take calculated risks, and make a difference in their communities. They're learning what Hunter discovered at 14:

That age is no barrier to creating meaningful change.

In helping others realize their potential, Hunter's legacy continues to grow, one dream at a time, proving that sometimes the most powerful ideas come from those who refuse to accept the world as it is.

At 14, most teenagers accept the world as it is. Hunter saw it as something to change.

It was the summer before high school, and Hunter was on vacation with his family in Panama City, Florida.

The beachfront town was alive with energy—everywhere you looked, teens who were older than Hunter and his friends roamed from event to event, enjoying the freedoms that came with being 18.

But at just 14, Hunter and his group found themselves on the outside looking in. After sunset, their options dwindled: it was either return to the rental house and play cards with the parents or settle for a round of putt-putt at the strip mall down the road. Not exactly the stuff of summer legends.

One night, everything changed. The group heard about a special party for pre-teens at a local rec center.

When they arrived, they discovered something transformative: a real venue designed for kids their age.

The place was buzzing with excitement - a DJ played the latest hits, kids danced under black lights, and soda fountains replaced the usual bar setup. Security stood at the entrance, turning away anyone 18 or older. It was fun, safe, and - for once - meant for them.

The Spark of Determination

Back home in McLean, Virginia, Hunter couldn't shake the experience.